Ole Gunnar Solskjaer appointed as Cardiff City manager

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Updated 1505 GMT (2305 HKT) January 2, 2014

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer appointed as Cardiff manager4 photos

The new man in charge – Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has been handed the task of keeping Cardiff City in the English Premier League. The Norwegian has never managed in England before but does have experience in his homeland, where he led Molde to two league titles and a cup win.

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Ole Gunnar Solskjaer appointed as Cardiff manager4 photos

Red Devil – Solskjaer made his name as a player at Manchester United, where he spent 11 years between 1996 and 2007, winning six English Premier League titles, two FA Cups and the Champions League.

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Ole Gunnar Solskjaer appointed as Cardiff manager4 photos

Super sub – Solskjaer was often brought off the bench for Manchester United to have an impact on games late on -- a role that he turned into his own. The striker once scored four goals against Nottingham Forest in the space of just over 10 minutes after coming on as a substitute.

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Ole Gunnar Solskjaer appointed as Cardiff manager4 photos

Finest hour – Solskjaer will always be remembered by Manchester United fans for his last-minute winner against Bayern Munich in the 1999 Champions League final -- a victory that completed the Treble for the club.

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Story highlights

Cardiff appoints Ole Gunnar Solskjaer as its new manager

Solskjaer succeeds Malky Mackay, who was sacked last month

It is his first managerial job in England after coaching Molde in Norway

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer rescued Manchester United in 1999 to help the club win the Champions League, and he has now been charged with the task of saving Cardiff City from relegation into English football's second tier.

The 40-year-old Norwegian famously came off the substitutes' bench for United in Barcelona to score the winner in stoppage time, giving them a 2-1 victory against Bayern Munich -- a win that wrapped up the Treble for Alex Ferguson's men.

Cardiff's Malaysian owner Vincent Tan will be hoping Solskjaer, who has been given a 12-month rolling contract, can work similar magic for the struggling Welsh side after appointing the former Molde boss as Malky Mackay's successor on Thursday.

Cardiff, who lost 2-0 to Arsenal on Wednesday, currently sit one point and one place above the English Premier League relegation zone.

Solskjaer, who attended the match at the Emirates Stadium alongside Tan, promised the Cardiff fans a positive brand of football.

"I'm really looking forward to the challenge ahead. I'm going to bring my energy and enthusiasm to the club," he told reporters. "I'm a very positive manager. I want to play a good style of football and yesterday [against Arsenal] we showed what a threat we can be."

Solskjaer added: "It's a fantastic challenge for me. Cardiff are ready to take the next step up, I hope I can help them. I've always dreamed of being a manager in the Premier League and I'm delighted to get the opportunity."

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Solskjaer's side also face a trip to Manchester City 10 days before that, while his first game in charge sees Cardiff visit Newcastle on Saturday in the FA Cup third round. The FA Cup is England's second major competition.

"We've got some of the toughest trips in world football coming up this month. They're games we'll relish and look forward to," Solskjaer said. "We want to push this club forward and up the Premier League. The quality of the staff and players is high here."

Cardiff chairman Mehmet Dalman was given the task of recruiting a new manager after Tan decided to sack Mackay last month.

"There was only one name in my head from the very beginning. We're delighted to welcome Ole to Cardiff," Dalman told reporters.

"I've seen Ole play for many, many years. I like his style of football and his ideas on the game. He is an extremely good communicator. Common sense, pragmatic discussions and trust were the key in bringing Ole here."